Doug McDermott, Creighton (26.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 44.7% 3PT): Dougie McBuckets was considered by most to be the consensus National Player of the Year entering the final weekend of the regular season. Then he went out on his Senior Night and scored a career-high 45 points, giving him 3,000 for his career while passing Oscar Robertson and Hersey Hawkins on college basketball’s career scoring list. If it wasn’t a consensus then, it should be now.

Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati (20.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg): The Bearcats are a Final Four contender because they are an elite team on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, however, they aren’t all that good, and that’s after you factor in that Sean Kilpatrick is having a terrific season. His efficiency numbers aren’t terribly different from McDermott’s, but instead of playing in the nation’s most efficient offense, he’s playing in the nation’s 101st most efficient offense.

Russ Smith, Louisville (17.5 ppg, 4.8 apg, 3.5 rpg, 2.0 spg, 39.4% 3PT): The key to Louisville’s season has been Smith’s ability to embrace being a point guard isn’t of simply being Russdiculous. It should tell you something that, on his Senior Night and just three days after exploding for 22 second half points and six threes in eight minutes in a come-from-behind win at SMU, Smith finished with 13 assists and just two shots from the floor.

Jabari Parker, Duke (19.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg): Parker’s midseason slump is a distant memory at this point, as he’s figured out how to play as Duke’s best defensive rebounder and most important weapon offensively. Being the cornerstone offensively for one of the nation’s top two offenses is impressive.

Getty Images

Shabazz Napier, UConn (17.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.2 apg, 1.8 spg, 40.7% 3PT): Where would UConn be without Shabazz Napier? And I’m not just talking about the fact that he’s their go-to guy offensively, their best on-ball defender and their leading rebounder despite standing all of 6-foot-1. What about all the game-winning, clutch baskets that he’s scored this season? Would UConn still be a tournament team without win over Florida, Indiana, Memphis and Boston College?

Nick Johnson, Arizona (16.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg): Johnson has slumped a bit down the stretch of the season, but he’s the best perimeter defender and the most dangerous scorer in the half court for a top five team.

Bryce Cotton, Providence (21.7 ppg, 5.9 apg): Cotton’s had a truly unbelievable season, carrying an injury-riddled Providence team to within a strong Big East tournament of an at-large bid. He’s averaging 40.1 minutes this season.

Cleanthony Early, Wichita State (16.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg): The leading scorer for the undefeated Shockers, Early is WSU’s best athlete and their toughest matchup: an athletic, 6-foot-8 four-man with three-point range.

Andrew Wiggins, Kansas (16.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.2 spg): For all the criticism that Wiggins has gotten this season, he finished the year as the leading scorer, third-leading rebounder and best defender on a top five team and national title that won the nation’s toughest conference outright. Not bad.

T.J. Warren, N.C. State (24.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg): With all due respect to Doug McDermott, I’m not sure there is a better pure scorer in the country than Warren.

DeAndre Kane, Iowa State (17.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 5.9 apg): As impressive as Kane’s numbers are, imagine if he didn’t have to deal with a sprained ankle at the start of league play.

Nik Stauskas, Michigan (17.4 ppg, 3.4 apg, 3.3 rpg, 45.8% 3PT): The development of Stauskas into a playmaker that John Beilein can run his offense through is the reason the Wolverines are Big Ten champs.

Cameron Bairstow, New Mexico (20.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg): Bairstow is the most improved player in the country are arguably the nation’s best low-post scorer.

Melvin Ejim, Iowa State (18.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg): Ejim was voted by the coaches as the Big 12’s player of the year, over two other all-americans, Joel Embiid, Juwan State, Marcus Smart and a handful of other stars.

Not that any Florida player is shoe-in for the NBA, but an interesting debate is always who’s going to make a great pro? Guys like McDermott or Parker are probably locks to have solid if not outright great NBA careers. I’d like to know who else projects out to being a play-for-pay guy… and why.

I wonder if Patrick Young has what it takes to make it at the next level.